Happy 6th Birthday!

Natalie turned 6 today. It doesn't seem possible! Had a nice day... Picked my mom up this morning (still can't drive after her recent surgery), and she sat in the house while Oliver slept, so I could take birthday treats to Natalie's class. Came home, Natalie opened her presents, then we went out to dinner. Mom couldn't make it - some issues with her surgical site (but was checked out and is fine!) had to run her home so Jim (was supposed to be heading into work - graveyards) could take her to her doctor, so Natalie's best friend's mom let Trinity come with us. Went to a local pizza place called Organ Stop Pizza - good pizza and an incredible organ that comes up out of the stage, light show, puppets, can't really describe it well enough to do it justice. All three kids had a blast - the only time Oliver was unhappy was during The Phantom of the Opera - that scared him. But, the organist played O Holy Night (my favorite carol), and it was the most beautiful version I'd ever heard. Got a Happy Birthday played for Natalie as well!

Overall, a good day. We missed Mitz, Natalie was quite distraught, but at least she got to spend several hours with her this afternoon.

Had her friends birthday party this past Saturday - at Build A Bear. 16 kids from class came! Had a big group, but they all had a blast!

And Happy Birthday to Aunt Annie as well! Missed her call, and got home late, but will hopefully catch up tomorrow.... Which happens to be Grandma's birthday!

"Is Natalie there?"

First phone call from a boy. Ooof. Not sure I'm ready for this!

It was too funny though... Natalie got all girly and giggly when I gave her the phone. Wasn't much of a conversation, apparently Josh just wanted to know her birthday, then "gotta go". She was a little confused at how abruptly the call ended, and the look on her face was hilarious!

Looked him up in last year's yearbook, remarked that he's cute (has a great smile). Natalie said "YEAH. He's CUUUUTE".

Road Raging

Oliver and I were waiting to exit the freeway yesterday, stopped at a redlight behind a line of cars. All of a sudden I heard "MOVE IDIOT BUTT" from the back. I asked him "Did you just say 'move your butt, idiot?'". He grinned, said "Uh HUH! Like Mommy do!".

Bring a gas mask

Natalie told me the following just now (triggered by me having Oliver pulling my finger, mass hilarity for both kids!):

"I farted a lot in school today. Some were quiet, some were loud. Chloe thought it was funny. Elise said she never farts, she holds it in. We need to let Elise borrow Oliver's 'The Gas We Pass' book, because she doesn't know you have to pass that gas".

She kills me! I should add... She wasn't farting in class to be disruptive - both kids have been pretty gassy this week!

Dinner tonight...

Oliver went on a steak strike. Natalie said she was going to eat his, and forked a piece from his plate - trying to reverse psychology him. Instead of him flipping out, as he would most of the time, he said "eat it all", scooped up all of his pieces, and put them on her plate..

Halloween

A little late... The kids had a blast on Halloween! Natalie was Dr. Frankenstein, Oliver was Frankenstein, I was the Bride of Frankenstein, and Jon was Igor. They got lots of candy! We went to see Mitz and Pops first, then came back here to hand out our treats, and trick or treat.

The week before Halloween, we were teaching Oliver how to ToT. It was really cute! I'd go in the powder room, and shut the door. Oliver would grab his pumpkin, knock on the door, and when I opened it, said "Trick or Treat", wait for me to put something in his pumpkin, and then "thank you". The night of Halloween, he said "Trick or Treat" at every house, without being prompted, and somewhere along the way, started saying "Haaaaaap.......py Haw-weeeeeen", very slowly and very seriously - it was the cutest thing ever. Then the next day, he told us "get dark and get candy". :-P

Jon carved a bunch of pumpkins for the kids - did a great job. We had a Buzz Lightyear, Batman symbol, Batman face, and Spiderman face.

Quote of the evening went to Natalie though... On the way back home, she said "I can't WAIT to get to the sugar rush".

First quarter report card!

Natalie received her first quarter report card this past week, and I had our first parent-teacher conference of the school year. She is doing really, really well! Her teacher says she loves having Natalie in class, she's respectful, organized and a good friend to her classmates. She is one of her teacher's three go-to kids for other classmates who struggle a bit socially - that makes me really proud. She's very sensitive and kind, and I'm so glad she's a friend to everyone. Academically, she's also doing very well. Grading scale is 1-4, with 4 being the highest. Her teacher said that she gives out very few 4s this early in the year, as that indicates mastery. Natalie's report card was all 3s and quite a few 4s! This Tuesday is her Student of the Month assembly, which Oliver and I are looking forward to attending!